User manuals should be pretty straightforward — they are simply instructions for an end user on how to create, build, or use something. Recipes are class instruction manuals.

But they’re tricky! You have to include enough information and visuals so that someone can do what you intend them to do, but not so much that they’re overwhelmed.

And most importantly, you have to consider your audience — the user. Is this a technical manual meant for inhouse or external technical users and ongoing documentation? Or is it a straight instruction manual meant for a single use?

In this unit, you’ll get to create your own instruction manual, and it can be about anything! How to build a computer, how to build a Lego structure, how to do an engineering job… whatever you’re interested in or think you might be able to use in your career.

We’ll look at different kinds of manuals, from text-based to mostly visual, and depending on your audience, you can create whatever mode you think works best and that you can do in a couple of weeks. (Obviously this is not meant to be a complicated or exhaustive work!)

Here’s the schedule and homework:

Week Seven 10/11

  • Wed 10/11: User Documentation/Instruction Manual intro and overview
    • homework:
      • Read and annotate in Perusall — 1) “Creating a rhetorically effective user manual” and 2) “User documentation: which choice is best?”
      • On the Padlet: create a new post — 1) put your name in the title slot, 2) tell us what you want to do, 3) tell us who your intended audience is

Week Eight 10/16-10/18

  • Mon 10/16: Ideas and examples for manuals
    • homework: In the Google Drive folder labeled Instruction Manual:
      • post a list of steps
      • include some ideas of visuals
  • Wed 10/18: Workshop ideas
    • homework: rough concept for manual

Week Nine 10/23-10/25

  • Mon 10/23: workshop concepts
    • homework: a draft is due on Monday 10/30, so get started
  • Wed 10/25: usability studies
    • homework: draft of manual due in your folder in the Google Drive –> Instruction Manual

Due Monday 10/30